Geranium plant named ‘Duepamerl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Duepamerl’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and red purple-colored double flowers.

Botanical denomination: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar designation: ‘Duepamerl’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related application: Title: Geranium Plant Named ‘Dueimpahopi’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/349,717 Applicant: Marga Dümmen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duepamerl’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely-flowering Ivy Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Jul. 1, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number F-16-09, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number F-23-09, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Duepamerl was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Jul. 1, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings as Rheinberg, Germany since Jul. 1, 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duepamerl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duepamerl’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple-colored double flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more vigorous and more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more vigorous than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Ivy Geranium and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differs from plants of the cultivar Dueimpahopi, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/349,717, primarily in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Ivy Geranium have double flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Dueimpahopi have single flowers.

The new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Tomcat, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Tomcat in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more vigorous than plants         of the cultivar Tomcat.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more freely branching         than plants of the cultivar Tomcat.     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had larger leaves than plants         of the cultivar Tomcat.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium and the cultivar Tomcat         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duepamerl’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Duepamerl has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures about 18° C. and light levels about 4,500 foot-candles. Plants were grown in 10.5 cm containers. Plants were pinched about three weeks after planting. Plants were about eight weeks from planting when the photograph and the detailed botanical description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Duepamerl. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum             identified as code number F-16-09, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum             identified as code number F-23-09, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 7 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant             habit, rounded plant form; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely             branching, about four lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 12 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Internode length:             About 4.4 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, double. Length:             About 7.8 cm. Width: About 9.2 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex:             Acute. Base: Peltate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:             Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: 137B; zonation pattern, 137A in color and             about 1.5 cm in width; venation, 144A. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 144A; venation, 144A.             Petiole: Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Red purple-colored double flowers             arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the foliage on peduncles.             Flowers rounded in form. Umbels persistent, flowers not             persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; plants have about             four to six opening and fully open umbels each with about             eight to ten flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring through             summer.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant.         -   Umbel size.—Diameter: About 9.3 cm. Height: About 5.3 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5.2 cm. Depth (height): About             1.9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 2.9 cm.             Width: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: 61A to 61B; towards the base, 59B; color             becoming closer to 61B with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: 51A; towards the base, 59A.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: about             2.7 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: 61A to 61B; towards the base, 59B. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: 51A; towards the             base, 59A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Elongated, tapering. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.4 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A overlain with 178A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:             About seven. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: 187A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.3 cm. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color:             59A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: 2D. Ovary color:             Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to     about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Duepamerl’, as herein illustrated and described. 